REWORK Traditional marketing doesn't work for us
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Oct 15, 2025 Discover the unconventional marketing strategies of 37signals that eschew traditional advertising. Learn why flashy campaigns failed them, and how genuine connections and support drive real results. The hosts explore the pitfalls of brand marketing measurement and advocate for purposeful spending on creators over broad platforms. They emphasize the value of trust and authenticity, contrasting it with generic ads. Plus, find out how AI might elevate human voices amid a sea of content sludge.
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Ad ROI Varies By Product Economics
- Advertising ROI depends on product type, sales cycle, and lifetime value.
- For Basecamp, acquisition costs on platforms like Google/Meta were far above sustainable returns.
Branded Ads Cannibalized Organic Traffic
- Branded ads can mask poor incremental benefit by cannibalizing organic traffic.
- DHH recounts cases (including eBay) where turning ads off produced no downside, exposing wasted spend.
Brand Marketing Is Hard To Measure
- Brand marketing is harder to measure but can produce long-term lift if it shifts trajectory.
- 37signals struggled to detect overall lift despite extensive brand efforts and organic activity.
